Tablet box



Dec. 18, 1945. w NTE v 2,391,347

TABLET BOX Fil ed June 17, 1945 Patented Dec. 18, 1945 2,391,341 V ,TABLErBox' i M William F. Punte, Passaic, N. J., assignor to continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y 1 a corporation of New York Application'June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,182

3 Claims. (01. 206-42) The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a tablet dispensing box for dispensing one tablet at a time.

An object of the invention is to provide a tablet dispensing box with a dispensing opening which is controlled by a rotatable cover member that may be easily manipulated for closing the opening or for uncovering the same when it is desired to obtain a tablet from the box.

In the drawing which shows by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a tablet box employing the invention with the cover member in position for closing the dispensing opening.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the cover member moved so as to uncover the dispensing opening.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the'line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 1. V

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Figure The tablet box is preferably of sheet metal and is made in sections. There is a bottom section I having an upstanding wall 2 and a top section 3 having a depending wall 4. These sections are dimensioned so that they have a relatively tight of a tablet through the dispensing'opening 6. The lid at the opposite side of the cutaway portion 9 is depressed, as indicated at 10, so as to provide a firm grip for the thumb or finger of the operator in the turning of the cover about its pivotal point. The cover has a depending edge portion ll extending along the sides of the cover. There is a raised lug l2 in the top of the upper section of the box with which this depending edge portion contacts. when the cover is in closed position.

There is a similar raised lug l3 which contacts frictional fit which holds the two sections together during the ordinary handling of the box, but which permitsthe two sections to be separated so that the box may be filled with tablets. The upper section of the box has a raised circular portion 5. At one corner of the upper section of the box there is a dispensing opening 6. The tablets to be dispensed are circular in shape and of a thickness substantially equal to the distance between the upper and lower sides of the box. The tablets aredimensioned relative to the dispensing opening so that only one tablet can pass throng the opening at a time.

' The dispensing opening is controlled by a cover 1 member 1. This cover member is pivoted to the top of the upper section of the box. As shown in the drawing, the cover has two tongues struck up therefrom which extend down through an opening in the upper section of the box. These tongues are clinched on the upper side and serve as a retaining means for holding the cover on the box while permitting the cover to swing about a central pivot point. The cover at one end thereof is provided with a cutaway portion 9 which is semi-circular, and which is slightly larger than the dispensing opening so that when the cover is swung to the position shown in Fig. 2, the opening through the lid will permit the free discharge with the depending portion of the cover when it is swung so as to bring the opening 9 therein into register twith the dispensing opening in the top of the box.

The box is adapted to hold twelve tablets, dimensioned so that only one tablet at a time can be dispensed through the opening when the cover is positioned as shown in Fig. 2, and the box is inverted so that the opening is at the lower side thereof. After the tablet has been dispensed, another tablet can move beneath the opening and be dispensed therefrom, and thus it is that one tablet at a time can be dispensed from the box, and after the desired number of tablets have been removed, the cover can be easily and quickly returned to its closed position, as shown in Fig. l.

Preferably the bottom of the box is provided with knurls, indicated at I4, which enables the operator to firmly hold the box from turning while the lid is forcibly swung on its pivotal connection.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tablet dispensing box comprising upper and lower sections rectangular in cross section and having telescoping connection with a, fric tional fit for normally holding said sections in assembled position, the top section of said box having a dispensing opening in one corner thereof, a cover member conforming in shape to the top of the box and pivoted centrally thereof, said cover member having a cut-away portion in the end thereof adjacent the corner opening, said cut-away portion in the cover being disposed midway between the sides thereof and out of register with the corner opening when the side edge of the cover is in alignment with the side edge of the box and adapted to be turned into alignmentwith said dispensing opening when said cover is swung on its pivot, a stop for limiting the swinging movement of the cover when the cut-away portion is in register with the dispensing opening, and a with a, frictional fit tor normally holding said 5 sections in assembled position, the top section of said box having a dispensing opening in one corner thereoi, aeover niember cpnformingflin shape to the top of'the box and pivoted -centrally thereof, said cover member having an opening'adapted 10 to be moved into register with said opening so,

that tablets may be dispensed therethrough, thetop section of the box having a. circular raised portion on which the cover pivots, the side edges of the cover lbeing bent downwardly to providea -15f movement of the cover when the side edges are positioned in alignment with the sides of the box, said cover having said opening disposed centrally stop-engaging shoulder, said top section having upstanding lugs positioned so as to limit the" swinging movement of the cover when the openerings are in register and so as to limit the swinging movement of the cover when the side edgesare 2 positioned in alignment with the sides of'thebox.

3; A' tablet dispensing box comprising upper and lower sections having telescoping connection with a, frictional fit for normally holding said sections in assembled position, the top section of said box having a dispensing opening in one corner thereof, a cover member conforming in shape to the top of the box and pivoted centrally thereto, said cover member having an opening adapted to be moved into register with said opening so that tablets may be dispensed therethrough, the

top section or the box having a circular raised portion on which the cover ivots, the side edges ogf the cover being bent downwardly to provide a. stop-engaging shoulder, said top section having upstanding lu'gs positioned so as to limit the swinging movement of the cover when the openings are in register and so as to limit the swinging at one end thereof and having a similar section at the opposite end thereof depressed to form a WILLIAM F. PUNTE. 

